1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Mike--
I have a 1995 900 SEt that currently has 221K on the clock. She came to live with me almost six years ago, and had only 19K on her at that time. She still has her original turbocharger and headgasket (although the gasket has just begun to ooze oil. Both the headgasket and TC will be replaced this winter as we are doing some upgrades in the name of increased performance).
The ***most*** important thing to remember about the turbocharged engine is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Always change the oil at 5K or earlier. Always do the 30K service. The oil and the coolant are the two most important pieces of the puzzle. The TC is watercooled, so never let the engine overheat. You could cook the turbocharger. Usually, I replace the thermostat every second coolant flush (or every 60K). It's cheap insurance against a boilover. The importance of oil goes without saying--run the engine low on oil and fry the main bearing (which floats on a thin film of oil) of the TC.
Also, you need to check to make sure that the headbolts are properly torqued. This is especially true of the later ('96-'98)NewGen turbos. If not properly torqued, they start to leak around the 60K mark.
It's still a good idea to let the engine run about 30 seconds before shutting it down to let the turbo wheel spin down. It's not as important as it was in the early Saab Turbos (especially the 99 Turbos) but it does reduce wear and tear.
The other thing to listen for is a noisy balance shaft chain. If the chain breaks, it will frag the engine. I had the chain removed (yes, removed) at 172K because it was just starting to get noisy. There were no ill effects, no extra vibration, nothing. The chains are not necessary for the proper running of the engine.
I'd be leery of buying anything on eBay because you can't see the maintenance records. I've said it many times on this board before--a poorly maintained 900T will eat a hole in your wallet very quickly.
And don't listen to those folks that tell you that turbocharged cars are more expensive to maintain that naturally aspirated cars. They aren't. I do a 30K once a year (I do a lot of driving) and an oil change every 45 days. It costs me less than $1100 a year to maintain my Saab by the book. Of course, my Saab never sees the inside of a dealer's service department (all the dealers know how to do is siphon money out of your pocket and never fix what you wanted them to fix in the first place). My indie (ConnTech Automotive) is reasonable and honest. Most of the dealers in New England are not. My 900 still looks great, runs great and fools most folks into thinking that she's a later NG or a 9~3, and I wouldn't trade her for the world.
Good luck on your Saab search!!
posted by 152.163.25...
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